Week 2-Sea Exploration!

Hello, Parents! It was great seeing you at class on Friday. I am impressed with the interactions I saw between the students and parents!

Class times will now start 5 minutes later. This will allow the 12:55 class to start at 1:00 giving The Salt Lake Arts Academy kids an additional 5 minutes to clear the building before class starts! The new class times are: 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, & 4:00!

Week 2-Sea Exploration!

Rockstars! We will listen to the ocean using seashells, bring sea animal puppets to life, take a diver under the sea using a parachute, make our own fish out of paper plates, dance to Under The Sea with our fish, sing Once I Caught A Fish Alive with our fish, and enjoy the story Ten Little Fish by: Audrey Wood and Bruce Wood! We will have so much fun! Parents, it would be great to give your child any background knowledge about the beach, sea, or sea animals this week. Reading books or showing them pictures of these things will be a great vocabulary building experience for them and further their engagement during Friday’s lesson. Think, Sea Exploration!!!

Superstars! We will listen to the ocean using seashells, learn some fun facts about sharks, bring sea animal puppets to life, play shark tag, make our own fish out of paper plates, dance to Under The Sea with our fish, sing Slippery Fish with our fish, enjoy the story Shark Trouble by Sam Lloyd, and we’ll even get to take home our own Itsy Bitsy Shark Book to color and read over the weekend. Parents, this book has two repetitive sight words: is and a! These sight words are taught in Kindergarten. This would be a great time to start flashcards to help your Kindergartener learn these words! Please, encourage your children to bring any props from home that relate to the theme-Sea Exploration! A beach towel to catch some rays on, a float, any sea animal he/she has at home, etc! Tell, them not to be surprised when Ms. Erin turns into a shark for a fun game of tag (heads up: the bar will be the safety zone)!

Last thing, I will be introducing the bell. Over the weeks, when your child hears the bell, he/she will learn to freeze, turn off his/her voice, and listen for directions. In any new situation, consistency is key! Each week, your child will show improvements in transitions, listening, and interactions with peers!

See you, Friday!

Yes, classes start Friday! I'm excited to see you all there!

Welcome, to The Shining Stars Kids creative arts program for children 4 months to 6 years of age! How exciting, your child will experience weekly thematic lesson plans through: music, creative movement, drama, and visual arts! The integrated arts have shown many positive benefits for children, including: the development of higher thinking skills, enhanced mathematical ability, self-confidence, communication of emotions, verbal and nonverbal expression, physical development, and social and emotional skills.

Before, we get started; there are a few items that will get you through the first week of class virtually headache free! I hope!

OK, The Shining Stars Kids program is located at The Salt Lake Arts Academy-an arts integrated charter school where students in grades 5-8 receive a strong academic education. What a great opportunity to get a feel for this community and the strengths of the school! 844 S. 200 E.

If you’re traveling to The Salt Lake Arts Academy for the first time, look for a brick building on the west side of the street on 200 E. just south of the 800 S. stoplight. For those of you traveling on I-15, take the 900 s. exit, turn east on 900 s., turn north on 200 e., and The Salt Lake Arts Academy is on your left. As for the rest of you, you’re on your own! Consider mapping it out ahead of time and leaving plenty of time for U-turns-I hope not!

Please, enter your car on the north side of the building and exit your car on the south side of the building. Look for the enter and exit signs to help guide you. Parking may be sparse for those of you in the 12:55 class. Please look for parking in the back of the building, surrounding parking lots, and street parking. You may enter the building using the back west door of the building-there is a ramp for strollers. Strollers may use the elevator on the main floor. The rest of you, please use the stairs to get down to the basement! Please, leave your shoes and bags on the shelves in the multi-purpose room located by the bathrooms. There are no shoes, food, or drink allowed in the dance room-only water in a Sippy or water bottle! Allow yourself additional time this first week to accomplish everything smoothly!

Diaper Changing- Please, bring a blanket or changing mat for any diaper changes. Also, please take the diaper with you as you leave. Thank you!

If you have children of different ages in different classes, your Superstar may sit quietly in the dance room while your Rockstar has class, may eat a snack in the multi-purpose room, or do a quiet activity in the band room (connected to the dance room) he/she has brought from home. While your Superstar is in class, you may wait in the band room, take your little one for a stroll, visit the public library, go grab some food, or do what you choose. Consider, sticking around this first week to make sure your Superstar feels comfortable in this new environment. If, you do leave campus-please, make sure you are back to pick your child up from the dance room as soon as class ends.

This is a fabulous facility! Please, leave it the way we get it!

Weekly, you will see a plastic box where each of you has your own folder with your name on it inside. This box will be one of many of our important forms of communication. We will be using this box for payment of tuition, leaving notes, receiving notes, etc. Please, check it weekly! For those of you, who have opted for the 3 payments option, be sure to check your folder for a little note regarding your payment plan.

Remember, getting used to and being successful at any new experience requires consistency! Your child will greatly benefit in this new environment through attending weekly. Consistency is key!


Now-FOR THE GOOD STUFF!!!

The first week’s theme is Stars & Self-Concept! This theme sets the tone for the program mission. The Shining Stars Creative Arts Program encourages creativity in the learning process for children 4 months to 6 years old by using music, movement, visual arts, drama, and weekly thematic lesson plans. We provide a warm, nurturing space for children to express their understandings, thoughts, and feelings of their environment. We welcome curiosity, exploration, and self-expression with open arms! I truly believe all children are stars and we have the ability as parents to celebrate their individuality, boost their self-concept, encourage their creativity, and foster a love for themselves, others, and their surroundings by using the integrated arts as one of our tools.

ROCKSTARS PARENTS-READ THIS!

Welcome, Rockstars parents! This theme is such a fun one for our little Rockstars! The stars and self-concept theme puts us as parents in a great position to practice giving our children positive feedback, recognition, and to celebrate them for their individuality and creativity.

Here is the general outline for the class: name song, warm-up, group activity, exploration, music circle, story, good-bye song. Each of these activities will be centered around the theme stars with a heavy emphasis on the sun. We will pretend streamers are shooting stars, explore props, enjoy the songs Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star & Mister Sun using xylophones and triangles, experience the story I like Myself by Karen Beaumont. We will focus on giving the children positive attention and praise to help our children form a positive self-concept.

At home-connections: This is a great time of season to take your little one outside for a nature walk. Talk about where the heat is coming from, how your body feels-hot or cold. Take an ice cube outside, watch it melt, and talk about what happened to it and why it melted.

Please, encourage your child to bring any prop from home that makes them feel like a star-sunglasses, boas, hats, jewelry, special t-shirt, etc. Let them have fun with it!

Parents, please leave general comments and questions on this blog. You may need to set up a free account in order to do so! Any other comments and questions, please leave on the website or on my email, erinehendrix@yahoo.com .

SUPERSTARS PARENTS-READ THIS!

Hi, Superstars Parents! The stars and self concept theme is such a fun one for the Superstars. This lesson sets the tone for your children to love and appreciate themselves and others, and establish trust among the other children in class. This lesson will have a heavy emphasis on the sun!

Here is the general outline of the class: name game, warm-up, group activity, exploration, music circle, story, I like Myself star, community circle, good-bye song. Each of these activities will encourage your child’s creativity while broadening his/her understandings of the sun and its vital role in our daily lives. During group activity, your Superstar will be placed in partners and use creative movement to explore the sun through incorporating the movements of rotating and revolving to enact the planet earth moving around the stationary sun. We will experience the songs Mister Sun and You Are My Sunshine using xylophones and triangles. We will enjoy the story I like Myself by Karen Beaumont and make I like Myself stars where your child will write or draw something they like about themselves then share it with the group in community circle. The importance of building this class around self concept and appreciating others is to build trust as we get into drama and dance activities where your child will have the opportunity to perform in front of others. It is important your child have a trust and comfort level with the other students in the class. This is the first step!

Please, encourage your child to bring any prop from home that makes them feel like a star-sunglasses, boas, hats, jewelry, special t-shirt, etc. Let them have fun with it!

Parents, please leave your general comments and questions on this blog. You may need to set up a free account in order to do so. Any other comments or questions may be left on the website or on my email, erinehendrix@yahoo.com.

We’re going to have a great deal of fun! See you, Friday!

Share, with a friend! Now, that school is starting back in session there are many parents looking for great programs to enroll their children in. There is still time to register and families will be able to register throughout the year based on availability. Please, share this wonderful creative arts program with others! Thank you!

Superstars!

Great news! The Superstars class is now being offered to all children between 4-6 years of age! The website will be updated as soon as my tech. comes back from his honeymoon! See you all on the 28th!

Contact instructor, Erin Hendrix, to register at (801) 230-5493 or erinehendrix@yahoo.com! Space is Limited! Classes are filling-up!

Classes held at The Salt Lake Arts Academy Dance Room on Fridays!

Rockstars 4 months-3 years (Parent/Child 50 minute classes)-12:55 & 2:55 Tuition: fall(14 classes) $145.00, winter (10 classes) $100.00, spring(12 classes) $120.00Annual registration fee: $30.00 3 PAYMENTS OPTION

Superstars 4 -6 years (Independent classes)- 1:55 & 3:55 Tuition: fall(14) $152.00, winter(10) $108.50, spring(12) $130.20Annual registration fee: $30.00 3 PAYMENTS OPTION
REGISTER TODAY!

Email me at, erinehendrix@yahoo.com, for a registration form! You may also download the registration form from the website, http://www.theshiningstarskids.com/, on the registration/tuition page.

This is a wonderful hands-on program parents and children love!

This Thursday & Friday! In-person registration!

I'm excited to see you all at in-person registration this Thursday the 13th (2:00-5:00) and Friday the 14th (11:00-2:00) at The Salt Lake Arts Academy, 844 S. 200 E.! If, you cannot make it, contact me and I'll get you registered over the phone or email! Space is limited!

The Christmas Box House-Kidsfest Carnival

The Kidsfest Carnival was a great time! There were many fun activities for children and adults, including: face painting, crafts, live entertainment, food, a silent auction, a train, a car show, and blow-up bouncers! We will go again next year to help raise money for The Christmas Box House!

The Christmas Box House-Kidsfest Carnival at Wheeler Farm!

Hello, Star Parents!

I hope you are all enjoying your summer and staying cool!

This weekend there is a charity event occurring out in our community on August 8th from 10-6. It is the Kidsfest Carnival at Wheeler Farm for The Christmas Box House. From my understanding, you may purchase tickets there.

I have visited, https://www.thechristmasboxhouse.org/site/ for additional information, although, none is given. Fortunately, my friend works with The Christmas Box House and she has informed me there will be: tickets to purchase to ride the rides, snacks, drinks, ice cream, a silent auction, and a car show! It sounds like it will be a fun time for everyone!!!

I will be attending the event with my daughter, Cheri! I'll look out for any of you who may choose to attend, as well! This will be my first time attending! If, you see me and I don't see you, please, come up and say, "Hi!"

Check back after the 8th! I'll let you know how it went!

Ms. Erin

p.s. I'll be there in the morning between 10:30-11:00. Call me, we can meet up!